NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 1086
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 04 SEPTEMBER 2009
(interdepartmental transfer on 23 September 2009)
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 14)
Mr S J Masango (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether state hospitalsâ physical structures meet the requirements
for physically disabled people; if not, which hospitals do not meet
the requirements; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether any action has been or will be taken to ensure that all state
hospitals meet these requirements; if not, why not; if so, what are
the relevant details?
NW1347E
REPLY:
The following information was obtained from the Provinces:
EASTERN CAPE
(1) The rehabilitation health professionals in the Province have a task
of assessing health facilities for accessibility for physical
disabled persons. This is done annually. Presently some are
accessible and others are not accessible. All institutions per
district are assessed and a status grade is allocated. The assessment
tool that is used comes from the National Department of Health.
(2) The revitalization project of the Eastern Cape Department of Health
ensures that all the state health facilities are accessible. This is
an ongoing process that aims to improve the status grade of
accessibility each institution. The assessment for accessibility is a
continuous process until the score for each institution is 100%.
List of health facilities assessed for accessibility for people with
disabilities
Amatole District Municipality
| FACILITY | SCORE OBTAINED | GRADING |
|1. S.S. Gida Hospital |41 % |Bronze |
|2. Grey Hospital |73 % |Silver |
|3. Bisho Hospital |62 % |Silver |
|4. Stutterheim Hospital |72 % |Silver |
|5. Komga Hospital |55 % |Silver |
|6. Cath Cart Hospital |69 % |Silver |
|24. Tafalofefe Hospital |18 % |Not rated |
|26. Butterworth Hosital |33 % |Not rated |
Port Elizabeth Metro
|FACILITY | SCORE OBTAINED | GRADING |
|1. Dora Nginza Hospital |46 % |Bronze |
|2. Port Elizabeth |40 % |Bronze |
|Provincial Hospital | | |
|3.Uitenhage Provincial |49 % |Bronze |
|Hospital | | |
|4. Livingstone Hospital |39 % |Not rated |
Cacadu District Municipality
|FACILITY | SCORE OBTAINED | GRADING |
|1. Midland Hospital |50 % |Bronze |
|10. Sawas Provincial Aided|30 % |Not rated |
| | | |
|Hospital â Jansenville | | |
|11. Willowmore Provincial |25 % |Not rated |
| | | |
|Aided Hospital | | |
|14. Vera Bawford Hospital |23% |Not rated |
|19. Graaff-Reinet Day |28 % |Not rated |
|20. Aberdeen Provincial |34 % |Not rated |
|Aided hospital | | |
MAKANA
|1. Settlers Day Hospital |69 % |Silver |
|5. Fort England |29 % |Not rated |
|Hospital-OPD | | |
NDLAMBE
|1. Port Alfred |60 % |Silver |
|Hospital-OPD | | |
O.R.Tambo District Municipality
|FACILITY | SCORE OBTAINED | GRADING |
|1. Nelson Mandela |90 % |Gold |
|Academic Hospital | | |
|2. Bedford Hospital |67 % |Silver |
|3. Bambisana Hospital |49,4 % |Bronze |
|8. Isilimela Hospital |53,8 % |Silver |
|9. Canzibe Hospital |64 % |Silver |
|13. St. Barnabas Hospital |70,3 % |Silver |
O.R Tambo District Municipality
|FACILITY | SCORE OBTAINED | GRADING |
|30. St. Elizabeth |34 % |Not rated |
|Hospital | | |
Ukhahlamba District Municipality
|FACILITY | SCORE OBTAINED | GRADING |
|1. Steynsburg Hospital |14 % |Not rated |
|6.Burgersdorp Hospital |36 % |Not rated |
|8. Aliwal North Hospital |40 % |Bronze (under |
| | |construction) |
|9. Empilisweni Hospital |67 % |Silver |
Chris Hani District Municipality
|FACILITY | SCORE OBTAINED | GRADING |
|1. Cala District Hospital|33 % |Not rated |
|2. Cala Hospital |20 % |Not rated |
|3. Glen Grey Hospital |57 % |Silver |
FREE STATE
A total of 31 Hospitals and Vocational Evaluation and Rehabilitation
Centres were assessed for accessibility to people with disabilities. The
results were as follows:
⢠2 hospitals received Gold Status (attained the score of 80% and
higher of accessibility criteria). Those were Embekweni Hospital in
Zastron & Stoffel Coetzee hospital in Smithfield;
⢠7 hospitals received Silver Status (attained the score of 60 - 79% of
accessibility criteria);
⢠10 hospitals received Bronze Status (attained the score of 40 - 59%
of accessibility criteria);
Therefore, a total of 19 of the 31 hospitals are accessible to people with
disabilities.
There are 11 hospitals that did not satisfy the accessibility criteria.
This means that their scores were. The necessary steps are being taken, as
part of the revitalisation of the health facilities, to address this
problem.
LIMPOPO
(1) All hospitals in the Province meet requirements for physically
disabled people.
(2) As hospital are revitalized, new improved method are also phased in
to ensure maximum c compliance.
NORTHERN CAPE
1) All State Hospitals in the Province have ramps for wheelchairs and the
door sizes are spacious to accommodate wheelchairs.
2) Any facility that does not have a ramp, would have an alternative
entrance to accommodate people with physical disability people
with/without wheelchairs.
NORTH WEST
1) All facilities have been thoroughly assessed. This assessment is as
follows:-
Assessment criteria â Accessibility of Health Facilities by persons
with disabilities
1. RATING
|SCORE |POINTS: OUT OF |OUT OF 84 |GRADING |
| |94 | | |
|40-59% |38-55 |34-50 |BRONZE |
|60-79% |56-74 |51-56 |SILVER |
|80% |75+ |67+ |GOLD |
NB! A gold rating will be awarded only if:
1. Minimum score of 80% is obtained
2. There is an accessible toilet
3. There is a ramp to reach the accessible entrance, where applicable
4. There is a lift in multi-storey buildings
5. There is person at the front door to communicate with blind, deaf
and illiterate or the existence of very clear signage.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA â ACCESSIBILITY OF HEALTH FACILITIES FOR PERSONS WITH
DISABILITES
NAMES OF INSTITUTIONS |GAN |SCH |VRY |BRI |SWART |GEO |MAF |GEL |TSH |KLE
|WIT |WOL |VEN |POTC |CARL | |Within 200m from Public Transport Route
Within 100m from Public Transport Route
On Public Transport Route |3 |3 |3 |3 |3 |3 |3 |3 |3 |1 |0 |0 |3 |1 |1 |
|APPROACH/ ROUTE (FROM ROAD TO BUILDING ENTRANCE) |1 |1 |1 |1 |2 |0 |2 |1
|2 |1 |1 |2 |1 |0 |1 | |PARKING FACILITIES |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0
|0 |0 |0 |0 | |ENTRANCE ACCESSIBILITY |8 |4 |2 |6 |7 |0 |8 |6 |1 |6 |5 |4
|2 |7 |6 | |RECEPTION FACILITY |2 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |10 |5 |0 |0 |2 |0 |1 |2
|0 | |LIFTS (OPTIONAL) |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |N/A |4 |5
|N/A |N/A |5 |4 | |STAIRCASES AND PASSAGES |12 |6 |9 |N/A |0 |N/A |6 |6 |8
|22 |18 |12 |12 |18 |22 | |PUBLIC TOILETS |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |11 |8 |0 |0 |0
|6 |9 |12 |10 | |SIGNAGE |2 |0 |0 |3 |5 |0 |9 |4 |1 |0 |5 |2 |4 |5 |2 |
|SCORE |29 |14 |15 |13 |21 |3 |51 |33 |15 |34 |36 |26 |32 |50 |46 | |% |33%
|20% |15% |18% |30% |4% |83,33 |38% |18% |40% |56% |30% |34% |56% |56% |
|GRADING |B |B |B |B |B |B |G |B | |B |S |B |B |s |S | |
Recommendations:
Ganyesa Hospital
1. Parking.
⢠Post signage at parking area
⢠Extend the size of the parking bay for people with disabilities to at
least 3.5m
2. Entrance Accessibility.
⢠Mount handrails on both sides of the entrance.
⢠Demarcate road from the main gate to main entrance â for pedestrians,
wheelchairs and vehicles.
3. Reception.
⢠Post map of facility â on A2 size.
⢠Drop down counter to be adjusted to at least 850mm height, 400mm depth
and 750mm knee height.
4. Communication.
⢠Fill available funded posts on the personnel structure to enhance
communication with people with disabilities.
5. Patient Records.
⢠Implement a disability status identification procedure.
6. Public Toilet.
⢠Identify existing toilets and redesign to be disability compliant.
7. Signage.
⢠Use foot marking and/ or unambiguous forms for way finding.
8. Emergency Procedures.
⢠Use luminous emergency signage.
⢠Use tactile motives.
9. Phones.
⢠Relocate to a height not more than 1 200mm.
Recommendations:
Schweizer Renecke Hospital
1. Entrance
⢠Construct a kerb cut that leads from the main gate to the main
entrance/ admin office side/ OT section/ casually main entrance.
(include ramps where needed and appropriate markings).
Reconstruct staircase rehabilitation section.
⢠Designate parking bay for people with disabilities with
appropriate markings and sign posted.
⢠Demarcate both entrances for pedestrians and people with
disabilities.
⢠All entrance ramps to be reconstructed.
⢠Consult with local municipality for map facility.
⢠All counters needs to be reconstructed according to
specifications on assessment tool.
⢠Implement disability status identification mechanism.
2. Staircases and Passages
Furnishers to be removed from passages.
3. Public Toilets.
Redesign some toilets to accommodate people with disabilities.
4. Signage.
Directional signs at all entrances and through passages. To include
emergency signage.
5. Public Phones.
Adjust height to make accessible.
Recommendations:
Vryburg Hospital
1. Parking Facilities.
Designate on parking bay for people with disabilities at all parking
areas.
2. Loading Zone.
Designate loading zones for people with disabilities at all entrances.
3. Entrances.
Engage local maintenance to affix handrails, replace door handles.
4. Reception.
⢠Customize counters to measurements on
assessment tool.
⢠Provide facility maps.
5. Patient Records.
Implement a disability status identification mechanism e.g. use of
stickers.
6. Staircases.
⢠Colour code, tread noses.
⢠Extend handrails to a maximum of 300mm on both sides.
7. Wall mounted fittings.
⢠Fittings to be refitted to appropriate levels.
⢠Remove equipment from passage way.
⢠All allays/passages to be well lit at all times.
8. Public Toilets.
Designate and customize one toilet in the main building to be
disability complaint.
9. Signage.
Use appropriate signage; use large letters throughout the building.
10. Public Phones.
Adjust height to improve accessibility.
BRITS HOSPITAL
This facility is largely not compliant; however these shortfalls are noted
hence it is part of the hospital revitalization programme. The hospital
will soon be demolished and a new hospital built in 2007. There will be no
need for a follow-up visit as the structural modifications will not be
made. These challenges are however forwarded to the new facility architect
for consideration, and will be so attended.
GEORGE STEGMANN HOSPITAL
The institution is located at the foot of the mountain and therefore the
steepness of the slopes is determined by the nature of the location. Whilst
there are ramps provided for, they are not user friendly to all forms of
disabilities. The original design did not take into consideration issues
related to access to disabled persons and is also not supported by its
location. The hospital is over 60 years and is planned to be relocated to a
new facility in a period 7 months. The new facility is under the
revitalization programme and hence will comply with most of the needs of
the disabled.
Follow up report will not be done as the situation will still be the same
in preparation to move to the new facility.
SWARTRUGGENS
This facility is fairly new hence the modification to comply are not major
hence the can be dealt within the Year
MAFIKENG HOSPITAL
1. Pharmacy
a. Complies only problem is the counter that is to high
b. Ramp and doors is in order
2. Physiotherapeutic Department
Ramp and additional entrance made available for a person in a wheel
chair
3. Mortuary
Access for the clients available with a ramp.
4. X-ray Department
Accessible
GELUKSPAN HOSPITAL
1. Pharmacy
⢠Counter height 100mm and no surface space.
⢠Toilet for disabled available but not big enough.
⢠Ramp need to be leveled, can cause a problem.
2. Wards, X-rays and physiotherapist departments
Comply with ramps
3. Mortuary
⢠Doors comply
⢠Ramp needed to allow clients access from the vehicles to the
mortuary.
TSHEPONG HOSPITAL
⢠Approach to hospital entrance not safe.
⢠No lights to lit staircase.
⢠No minimum extension of 300mm at the top and the bottom of each
flight and no inside handrail.
⢠No map available for facility. Emergency plans can not be used as a
map.
⢠Thresholds exceeded 15mm as 25mm.
⢠Reception area not accessible wheelchair users. Counter higher than
850mm
⢠No wheelchair friendly toilets available.
⢠The ramp is too steep leading to wellness clinic from parking area.
NIC BODENSTEIN HOSPITAL
⢠No continuous signs in hospital
⢠No extended lever type flush control
⢠Fixed mirror is 1310 mm above floor level. Should not be higher than
900mm above floor level.
⢠Clear space only 630mm unde5r hand wash basin. should be 650mm
⢠Counter height at pharmacy higher than 850 mm.
⢠Décor protrudes more than 100 mm
⢠Fire extinguisher protrude more than 100mm from wall
⢠Reception counter is not wheelchair friendly.
⢠Loading zone/set-down area is available but not adjacent to the
accessible entrance
⢠Centre of public phone keypad is 1450mm high. should not be higher
than 1200
POTCHESTROOM HOSPITAL
⢠Wheel chair can not enter
⢠Replace lift with a new lift all the required
specifications
⢠Passage not well lit. Broken light bulbs to be replaced
⢠No cane detectable barriers
This assessment forms the basis for remedial action through the Capital
Planning Directorate. This work is dependent on availability of capital
and maintenance budget and/or revitalization grant funds.
The survey will be repeated in 2010 to monitor progress.
END.